TOPIC

STAFFING
Staffing is the acquisition and the maintenance of human resource necessary for the
organizational success.
Staffing function is concerned with acquisition, development and maintenance of an efficient and
satisfied work force in the organization.
It involves the recruitment, training, development and appraisal of personnel in the organization.
This staffing/personal management enables to contribute most effectively to the organization
purpose in the performance of their duties, as well as to attain those personal and social
satisfactions which they tend to naturally seek within their working environment.
Staffing is the acquisition and the maintenance of human resource necessary for the
organizational success.
Staffing is therefore the process which starts with identification of HR needs (HR planning),
recruiting new employees into the organization and continues through separation of employees
from the organization.
QUESTION: state the differences between personnel management and human resource
management
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Personnel Management is a specialist function of management and is not directly involved
with business strategy it is a collection of people-related activities.
Human Resource Management (HRM) is a strategic and coherent approach to the
management of an organisation’s most valued assets. The people working there who
individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of its objectives for sustainable
competitive advantage (Armstrong). It aims at integrating personnel issues with the
company’s strategy.
It is the process of managing people so as to contribute to organisational performance and
change.
DISTINCTION BETWEEN PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT
1. Personnel management is the traditional term used to describe the staffing function while
Human resource management is the modern term.
2. Human resource management recognizes that human resource factor is unique and should be
treated as so different from other resources while personnel management views a person as a tool
or equipment which can be purchased, used and disposed.
3. Human resource management involves management of skills, knowledge, abilities and talents.
Personnel management involves just the management of people. Human resource management is
career centered while personnel management is work force centered.
4. Human resource management views employees as profit centers and hence sees the need to
invest in them. Personnel management views employees as a cost center, hence does everything
possible to minimize that cost.
5. Human resource management utilizes employees for the mutual benefit of the firm as well as
that of that the employees. Personnel management uses employees only for the organization’s
benefit i.e. exploits them.
OBJECTIVES OF STAFFING
1) To build and maintain cordial relations among employees.
2) To ensure the effective utilization of available resources.
3) To provide fair working conditions, wages, and amenities to employees.
4) To achieve the development of employees to their fullest potential.
5) To assist other managers in solving their personnel issues

FUNCTIONS OF STAFFING
The functions of staffing involve a range of activities aimed at acquiring, developing, and
maintaining an effective workforce. Here are the primary functions of staffing:
1. Manpower Planning:
o Assessing current and future manpower needs.
o Forecasting the supply and demand for various types of personnel.
o Developing strategies to meet these needs.
2. Recruitment:
o Identifying and attracting potential candidates.
o Creating job descriptions and specifications.
o Posting job vacancies and conducting recruitment drives.
3. Selection:
o Screening applications and resumes.
o Conducting interviews and tests.
o Choosing the most suitable candidates based on qualifications and fit.
4. Placement and Orientation:
o Assigning new employees to their roles.
o Introducing new hires to the organization’s culture, policies, and practices.
o Providing initial training and support.
5. Training and Development:
o Identifying training needs.
o Designing and implementing training programs.
o Facilitating professional and personal development opportunities.
6. Performance Appraisal:
o Evaluating employee performance regularly.
o Providing feedback and coaching.
o Identifying areas for improvement and career development.
7. Compensation and Benefits:
o Developing and managing salary structures.
o Administering benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and bonuses.
o Ensuring competitive and fair compensation packages.
8. Employee Relations:
o Fostering positive relationships between employees and management.
o Addressing grievances and conflicts.
o Ensuring a healthy and productive work environment.
9. Promotion and Career Development:
o Identifying and promoting employees based on performance and potential.
o Providing career advancement opportunities.
o Succession planning for key positions.
10. Retention:
o Implementing strategies to retain top talent.
o Monitoring employee satisfaction and engagement.
o Reducing turnover rates through effective HR practices.
11. Legal Compliance:
o Ensuring all staffing activities comply with labor laws and regulations.
o Managing contracts and employment agreements.
o Addressing issues related to workplace safety and health.

THE PROCESS OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT/STAFFING

The composition of an organization's work force changes over time. People get promoted, others
get laid off and some look for better jobs elsewhere, while some undesirable or unsuccessful
employees are transferred.
The personnel management process is a continuing procedure to keep the organization supplied
with the right people in the right positions at the right time.

The steps or ACTIVITIES in this process include:

 Human resource (manpower) planning
 Recruitment
 Selection
 Placement/orientation
 Training and development
 Performance appraisal
 Compensation
 Termination/ Separation
OTHER ACTIVITIES
 Safety And Health
 Employment Legislation
 Relations With Trade Unions Or Staff Associations
MANPOWER PLANNING
Also known as human resource planning manpower planning is the development of a
comprehensive staffing strategy for meeting organizational future human resource needs. It is the
process by which management determines how the organization should move from its
present/current manpower position to its desired manpower position.
Features of manpower planning
1. It involves forecasts of the future manpower needs so that an adequate and timely provisions
may be made to meet those needs
2. The purpose of manpower planning is to determine the right number and the right type of people
required for effectively accomplishing the tasks and goals of the organization.
3. It helps in ensuring effective utilization of present and future manpower.
4. It has two aspects i.e. quantitative (number of people) and qualitative (skills and competencies).
5. It result in the development and policy programmes and procedures for the acquisition,
development, preservation and utilization of organizations human assets.
6. It is a continuous process because the demand and supply of manpower are subject to frequent
changes.

Significance of manpower planning

1) Avoiding Shortages and Surpluses: It helps management avoid both shortages and surpluses of
manpower, thereby controlling labor costs.
2) Defining Human Resources Needs: Manpower planning defines the human resources required to
meet the organization's objectives. By ensuring the right people are available at the right time, it
significantly contributes to the success and growth of the organization.
3) Basis for Selection and Training: It provides a sound basis for the selection and training of
manpower.
4) Ensuring a Stream of Qualified Personnel: A long-term and systematic manpower plan is
necessary to ensure a continuous stream of qualified personnel flowing into the organization.
5) Importance at Organizational and National Levels: Manpower planning is crucial for both an
organization and the economy. At the firm level, it warns management of upcoming manpower
shortages and surpluses. At the national level, it helps ensure the optimum utilization of the
country's human resources, maintains employment, improves productivity, and develops human
assets.
6) Inventory of Existing Manpower: An inventory of existing manpower helps ascertain the status
of the available personnel and disclose untapped talent.
Objectives of manpower planning
1. Making the best use of human resources.
2. Obtaining and retaining the quantity and quality of people an organization needs.
3. Being able to anticipate the future term of potential surpluses and deficit of people.
4. To promote and develop of existing personnel.
5. To provide control measures so that human resources are available when required.
Importance of manpower planning
 Correcting Staff Imbalances: Helps in correcting staff imbalances in time, enabling
management to reduce labor costs associated with overstaffing and preventing the
underutilization of talents.
 Basis for Personnel Development: Provides a sound basis for the development of personnel,
ensuring the optimum use of available resources.
 Identifying Gaps in Existing Manpower: Identifies gaps in existing manpower, allowing for
the development of suitable training programs to build specific skills required in the
organization.
 Coping with Uncertainty: Enables management to cope with uncertain circumstances by
planning ahead for various scenarios.
 Inventory of Current Manpower: Involves an inventory of current manpower to determine its
status, which helps identify untapped talents within the organization.
 Right People in the Right Jobs: Assists management in ensuring that the right people are in the
right jobs at the right time, optimizing productivity and efficiency.
Manpower Planning Process
Manpower planning process involves five basic steps:-
1) Assess Current Staffing Needs:
 Evaluate the current jobs needed in the organization.
 Identify shortages and surpluses in the current workforce.
 Analyze the current staffing situation to understand existing capabilities and gaps.
2) Forecast Future Human Resource Needs:
 Systematically project future human resource needs.
 Consider organizational goals, technological advancements, and external factors.
 Predict the number and types of employees needed in the future.
3) Formulate Staffing Strategy:
  Develop a staffing strategy based on the assessment and forecasts.
 Align the strategy with the organization’s overall objectives and plans.
 Plan for recruitment, training, and development to meet future needs.
4) Implement the Strategy:
 Adopt and execute the staffing strategy.
 Carry out recruitment, training, and development programs.
 Ensure all parts of the organization are aligned with the new strategy.
5) Evaluate and Update:
 Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented strategy.
 Assess whether the goals of the enterprise are being met.
 Update the strategy as needed based on feedback and changing conditions

JOB ANALYSIS
Job analysis refers to the process of determining the fundamental elements of a job through
systematic observation and analysis. Job analysis occurs during the assessment of the
organizational manpower needs.
It involves breaking up of a job into its basic elements and studying them in details to obtain all
the pertinent facts about the job. e.g.
1) What the Worker is Expected to Do:
Defining the specific tasks and responsibilities associated with the job.
Outlining the expected outcomes and performance standards.
2) Methods and Techniques Used:
Describing the methods, techniques, and tools used to perform the job.
Identifying the processes and procedures that the worker must follow.
3) The Working Conditions:
Detailing the physical and environmental conditions under which the job is performed.
Considering factors such as work hours, location, hazards, and physical demands.
4) Skills Required:
Identifying the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities required for the job.
Including both technical skills (specific to the job duties) and personal qualities (such as
interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, and adaptability).

Job analysis serves the following purposes.

 It provides a basis for MPP and for recruitment and selection
 Helps in matching the employee competencies and the job during selection
 Facilitates job evaluation and performance appraisal which is necessary in wage determination
 Helps in devising training and development programmes for employees.
 Facilitates proper allocation of authority
Benefits of Job Analysis:
I. Improved Recruitment and Selection:
 Helps in creating accurate job descriptions that attract suitable candidates.
 Assists in developing relevant selection criteria and assessment methods.
II. Enhanced Training and Development:
 Identifies the skills and knowledge required, helping to design effective training programs.
 Provides a basis for career development and succession planning.
III. Effective Performance Management:
  Establishes clear performance expectations and standards.
 Facilitates fair and objective performance appraisals.
IV. Compliance with Legal Requirements:
 Ensures job descriptions meet regulatory standards and avoid discriminatory practices.
 Helps in defending employment decisions in case of legal challenges.

THE END RESULT OF JOB ANALYSIS IS JOB DESIGN

Job Design
Job design refers to the process of organizing tasks, duties, and responsibilities into a productive
unit of work. It involves specifying the contents, methods, and relationships of jobs to satisfy
both organizational requirements and the personal needs of the jobholder.
Methods of Job Design
 Job Enlargement: Increasing the number of tasks performed by an employee to reduce
monotony.
 Job Enrichment: Adding more meaningful tasks and duties to enhance job satisfaction and
motivation.
 Job Rotation: Allowing employees to work in different roles or departments to gain varied
experience.
 Job Simplification: Breaking down complex tasks into simpler components to improve
efficiency.
Example of Job Design
A Customer Support Representative in a tech company. the job design process could be
implemented to enhance job satisfaction, productivity, and overall organizational effectiveness
by creating task Variety as follows;
 Current State: The job primarily involves answering customer queries through emails.
 Improved State: Expand the role to include phone support, live chat, and social media
interactions. This variety prevents monotony and keeps the job engaging
Importance of Job Design
1. Enhances Job Satisfaction: Well-designed jobs increase job satisfaction by providing
employees with a sense of accomplishment, variety, and autonomy.
2. Improves Productivity and Efficiency: Proper job design can streamline workflows and
eliminate unnecessary tasks, leading to higher productivity. Clearly defined roles and
responsibilities help employees understand their tasks better, reducing confusion and increasing
efficiency.
3. Reduces Employee Turnover and Absenteeism: Satisfied and engaged employees are less
likely to leave the organization or take unnecessary leaves.Job design that considers employees'
needs and aspirations can significantly reduce turnover rates and absenteeism.
4. Enhances Skill Development and Career Growth: Jobs that include a variety of tasks and
challenges encourage employees to develop new skills and competencies.
5. Improves Organizational Flexibility:Flexible job designs that allow for cross-training and job
rotation enable organizations to adapt more quickly to changes.
JOB DESCRIPTION
This is a clear summary of duties and responsibilities of a specific job.
It describes the title of the job, its location, tasks to be performed and work conditions.
Example: Job Description for a Marketing Manager
Job Title: Marketing Manager
 Location: New York, NY
Department: Marketing
Reports To: Director of Marketing
Job Summary: The Marketing Manager will develop and implement marketing strategies to
promote the company's products and services. This role involves managing marketing
campaigns, overseeing the marketing team, and working closely with other departments to
ensure cohesive branding and messaging
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Develop and execute marketing plans and campaigns
 Conduct market research to identify target audiences
Working Conditions:
 Office environment with occasional travel for events and conferences
JOB SPECIFICATION
This is a statement of the minimum acceptable human qualities required for the successful
performance of a job.
It specifies the physical requirements, education and knowledge, work experience, aptitude
(ability to learn) and personal characteristic that one should possess in order to handle the duties
of a particular job effectively.
Example: Job Specification for a Marketing Manager
Physical Requirements:
 Ability to sit at a desk and work on a computer for extended periods
Education and Knowledge:
 Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field
Work Experience:
 Minimum of 5 years of experience in a marketing role

JOB EVALUATION/GRADING
This technique/process of establishing the relative merits of jobs within an enterprise in order to
establish pay differentials
It involves the assessment of the work content of all jobs in the organization and their
classification into broad categories called job grades.

Advantages of job evaluation

1. Helps in selecting new staff
2. Assists in transferring employees from one department to another
3. Ensures that staff doing the same job receives the same rates of pay thus avoid wage
4. Assist in evaluating new jobs and deciding on appropriate rates of pay
5. May improve relationship between management and workers
6. Provide data needed for collective bargaining
7. May result in improved staff morale and thus low labour turn over and increased output
8. Useful for estimating budgets.

Disadvantages of job evaluation

1. It may place all jobs into few grades and reduce chances of promotion
2. Job grades fails to take into account individual differences in workers abilities
 3. There is a tendency to view workers in terms of their grades
4. Job grades are rarely evaluated while job content change time to
5. Salary scales are not solely based on job grading but also other factors such as trade union
influence etc
JOB EVALUATION METHODS
1) Ranking Method
Jobs are compared to each other based on their overall worth to the organization.
Jobs are ranked from highest to lowest in terms of importance or value
Example: A CEO might be ranked as the most important job, followed by the CFO, then
department managers, and so on.
2) Job Classification/Grading Method
Jobs are grouped into predefined classes or grades based on similar duties, responsibilities, and
qualifications.
Each class has a description and jobs are matched to the class that best fits their characteristics.
Example: An Administrative Assistant and a Receptionist might both be placed in the
"Administrative" class due to similar skill and responsibility levels.
3) Point Factor Method
Identify factors such as education, experience, complexity, and working conditions. Assign
points to each factor.
Example: A job requiring a bachelor's degree (50 points), 5 years of experience (30 points), high
complexity (40 points), and standard working conditions (10 points) would total 130 points.
4) Market Pricing/Benchmarking
Jobs are compared to benchmark jobs that have been previously evaluated.
Each job is analyzed and ranked based on several key factors, and then compared to the
benchmark jobs
Example: If market data shows that Software Engineers earn between $70,000 and $90,000, the
organization sets its salary range within this bracket to attract and retain talent.
Question:
Describe the purpose of manpower planning in business organizations.

JOB RECRUITMENT
This is the acquisition of human resources to fill up particular positions in the organization
 Thus recruitment is to seek out, to explore to evaluate, to induce and to obtain commitment from
prospective employees so as to fill up positions required for the successful operation of an
 Each organization has its own policies and procedures that guide the recruitment e.g.
 When to declare a job vacant
 When to advertise for the job

 The source of recruitment

 How to advertise etc
 Recruitment is very important because it increases the number of applicants from which a real
choice can be
Process of Recruitment
There are 4 stages of the recruitment process which can be shown in the diagram below:
 Job
analysis Clarification of the exact
nature of the position

Determining the skills,

Job aptitudes and abilities
description required for the job

Person Establishing the profile

specification of the ideal candidate

Attracting candidates
Job by advertising or
advertisement other means

SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT
Sources of recruitment can be classified into two broad sources i.e.
1. Internal sources
 Transfers
 Promotions
2. External sources
 Advertisements
 Education institutions etc

1. Internal sources:
Involves recruiting from within the organization i.e. present employees may be considered for
vacant positions.
Merits of internal recruitment.
1. Improves morale and motivation of employees.
2. Better judgment of existing employee’s i.e. the employer knows them better than outside
judgment.
3. Increases a sense of security among employees.
4. Promotes loyalty and commitment among employees.
5. Cost effective i.e. as no orientation and other recruitment expenses are to be incurred.
6. Time on recruitment is reduced i.e. it is a quicker method of filling vacancies.
7. Promotes good industrial relations with employees and trade unions.
8. Employees are already familiar with the organization and its policies hence little training
required for them.
9. It improves retention of talents etc.

Demerits of internal sources

1. May lead to in breeding i.e. people with the same culture and practices may contribute to
 organizational stagnation.
2. Discourages inflow of new blood into the organization.
3. Promotion is mostly based on seniority and highly capable individuals may not be chosen.
4. Restricts choice of selection to smaller number- chances of nepotism are high
5. All vacancies cannot be filled from within the organization.
6. This method cannot be used by newly established organizations.
7. Internal sources may “dry up” and it may be difficult to find the required personnel.

2. External sources of recruitment

Refers to the supply of personnel or man power from sources outside the organization
These sources may include:
1. New entrants to the labour market e.g. fresh college graduates.
2. The unemployed already in the labour market with a wide range of skill and ability.
3. Retired experienced persons.
4. Presently employed people from other organizations seeking to change their employment.

Merits of external recruitment.

1. Provides a large pool of qualified candidates to choose from.
2. Expertise and experience from other organizations can be brought in.
3. The source never dries up i.e. it is available to even new enterprises.
4. It is most suitable when candidates are not available from within and when an organization is
diversifying or expanding very fast etc.

Demerits of external recruitment

1. It is an expensive way of recruiting e.g. advertisement costs to be incurred.
2. Time consuming i.e. a lot of time is taken to fill a vacancy.
3. May erode employee morale i.e. present employees may feel highly demoralized when they are
not considered for vacant positions.
4. Uncertain due to changes in demand and supply of labor in the labour market. Organizations
depending on labour market may be disappointed if they fail to find the required manpower.
5. High cost of training for new employees etc.

Techniques of recruiting from external sources.

Prospective employees may be recruited from external sources through the following methods:
1. Recommendations by present employees (employee referrals). This method is suitable for filling
low cadre positions.

2. Unsolicited applications received from candidates who either call personally at the place of work
asking for employment or write letter of employment enquiry.

3. Maintaining direct link with educational institutions e.g. universities and training colleges.

4. Government employment agencies e.g. public service commission, TSC etc recruit employees
for the government.
 5. Using professional recruitment firm’s i.e. human resource management consultants e.g.
manpower services, Hawkins associates, price water house coopers etc.

6. Private employment agencies e.g. employment brokers who brings employees and employers
together. They may specialize in specific occupations e.g. accountants, technical workers, sales
personals, computer staff etc.

7. Hiring at the gate. This method is particularly suitable for employing casual and unskilled
laborers who present themselves at the company’s gate on daily basis.

8. Advertising in the newspaper, trade journals, magazines, internet etc this is the most preferred
method of recruit by many organizations.

9. Trade unions: - companies may recruit their employees through appropriate/reputed trade unions
e.g. FKE, KNUT etc.

10. Head hunting/executive search (poaching): this method is used to fill top or senior managerial
positions. The advocates of this method believes that the best candidates are those who do reply
to the advertisement or look for new other jobs in other ways but those who are successful in
present jobs and not thinking of moving elsewhere.
The headhunter may search for potential candidates in:
i. Competing businesses (possibly obtaining their names from companies annual report brochures
etc)
ii. Membership lists of professional bodies
iii. Confidential head hunting networks
iv. Executive search firms.

JOB ADVERTISEMENT
This is informing the public about existence of a vacancy position in an organization. It is a
usually done through the mass media or in meetings. The job advert should contain the following
elements;

JOB SELECTION
Selection is the process of offering jobs to one or more candidates from among those who
applied for the job.
It involves a series of steps which screens the candidates for choosing the most suitable person
for the vacant post
Benefits of selecting the right kind of people
 Proper selection and placement of personnel go along way towards building up a suitable
workforce. This in turn keeps the rate of absenteeism and labour turnover low.
 Competent employees will show higher efficiency and enable the organization to achieve its
 The rate of industrial accidents will be considerably low if suitable employees are placed on
various
 When people get jobs of their choice and taste they get higher job satisfaction (contended
workforce)
 Saves the organization time, money and efforts of having recruit and select incase where wrong
 selection was
Factors to consider when selecting employees: –
 Physical characteristics – sound body, limb, height, weight, sight etc
 Personal characteristics – age, sex, marital status, no of children, family background
 Proficiency/skills and abilities – qualification and past
 Competence – potentiality of an individual for learning and becoming proficient in a job.
Capacity to acquire
 Temperament and character – emotional, moral and social qualities, loyalty etc high intelligence
can never serve as a substitute for qualities such as honesty and trustworthiness
 Interest – without interest, work is colorless and monotonous. With interest work seems
meaningful and
THE SELECTION PROCEDURE
The selection procedure usually varies from organisation to organisation and even from
department to department depending on the position to be filled. The number of steps in the
procedure and their sequence may also vary.

Selection procedure can involve the following process/steps.

1. Preliminary interview
Most organizations start with preliminary interview. They are used to eliminate the
obvious/unqualified candidates.
It offers advantage both to the applicant and organization as it saves time, costs and efforts of
both the applicant and the organization. Only those who are suitable are allowed to fill the
application blanks.

2. Receiving Applications
When a vacant has been advertised or enquiries are made from suitable sources, applications are
received from the candidates. This may be standard form or just ordinary application letters.

3. Evaluation of applications
The application blanks and letters and curriculum vitae are evaluated as per the individual
qualities and the vacant job. Only questions that have job relevance should be encouraged. E.g.
education, work experience and other specific job relate data.

4. Employment tests
Tests have become an integral part of the selection process.
 Classification of tests
 Intelligence tests: They judge the mental capacity of the employee.
 Aptitude tests: They measure an employee’s capacity and potential for development.
 Proficiency tests: These measure skills already acquired by the employee.
 Personality tests: They measure the total personality of the employee.
 Interest tests: These reveal areas that an employee shows special concern and
involvement in.
5. Interviews
Interviews are the most widely used and probably the most important way of assessing the
qualification of a candidate. They are able to obtain additional information, provide information
about the firm etc.
 Guidelines for effective interviews
 Plan for the interview (job specification etc)
 Create a good climate for the interview – friendly and open report with the applicant should be
established
 Allow sufficient time for uninterrupted interviews
 Conduct a goal-oriented interview – irrelevant details should be left
 Avoid certain types of questions leading questions or those that may imply discrimination or
embarrassing
 Seek answers to all questions & check for
 Record results of the interview immediately on

Significance of interviews in the selection process

 Since the candidate is physically present, the interviewer gets an opportunity to study
various aspects of his: demeanor, body language, and communication skills.
 Mental and social make up the candidate is manifested in the: way they respond to
questions, handle pressure, and interact with others.
 It's cheaper and effective if properly planned: because it allows direct interaction and
evaluation of multiple aspects of the candidate in a single session.
 Correct judgment of the candidate can be made: based on a holistic assessment that
includes both verbal and non-verbal cues observed during the interview.
5. Reference Checking
A referee is potentially an important source of information about candidate’s abilities and
personality. Prior to final selection the prospective employer normally makes investigation on
the references supplied by the applicant.

6. Medical Examination
Physical and medical examination helps to determine if the applicant is fit for performing the
job. Contagious diseases are identified.

7. Placement.
This involves making an employment offer. It involves assignment of duties and introduction of
other staff members.
INDUCTION, ORIENTATION, AND PLACEMENT OF EMPLOYEES
Induction, orientation, and placement are critical processes in the employee onboarding
journey, ensuring that new hires are integrated smoothly into the organization and can start
contributing effectively.
INDUCTION
Induction is the process of introducing new employees to the organization, its culture, policies,
and their colleagues. It sets the tone for the employee’s experience in the company.
Objectives:
 Acquaint new employees with the organization's structure and culture.
 Provide essential information about policies, procedures, and benefits.
 Help new hires feel welcomed and valued.
ORIENTATION
Orientation is a more detailed process following induction, aimed at helping new employees
understand their specific roles, responsibilities, and how they fit within their team and the
 organization.
Objectives:
 Provide detailed information about job roles and expectations.
 Familiarize new employees with tools, systems, and processes.
 Establish connections with colleagues and mentors.
Areas of Employee Orientation in an Organization
1) Organizational Overview
 Introduction to the Company: History, mission, vision, and values.
 Organizational Structure: Explanation of the company's hierarchy, departments, and key
personnel.
2) Policies and Procedures: Overview of company policies, code of conduct, attendance rules, and
compliance requirements.
3) Job-Specific Training
 Role Clarification: Detailed description of the new employee’s job duties, performance
expectations, and reporting structure
4) Work Environment and Culture
 Workplace Tour: Guided tour of the workplace, including key locations like the cafeteria,
restrooms, and emergency exits.
 Cultural Norms: Introduction to the company culture, dress code, and workplace etiquette
5) Health and Safety
 Safety Procedures: Training on workplace safety procedures, emergency protocols, and
first aid facilities.
TOOLS USED IN EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION
Effective employee orientation utilizes various tools to ensure that new hires are integrated
smoothly into the organization. These tools provide essential information, facilitate
understanding, and help new employees acclimate to their roles and the company culture.
1. Organizational Manuals
Organizational manuals are comprehensive documents that provide detailed information about
the company’s policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Importance:
1. Consistency: Ensures that all employees receive the same information and understand company
policies uniformly.
2. Reference: Serves as a reference guide for employees to consult whenever they have questions
about policies or procedures.
3. Compliance: Helps ensure that employees are aware of and adhere to legal and regulatory
requirements.
4. Training: Acts as a training resource for new hires and can be used for ongoing employee
development.
5. Accountability: Clearly outlines expectations and responsibilities, holding employees
accountable for their actions.
2. Organizational Charts
Organizational charts visually represent the structure of the company, including departments,
roles, and reporting relationships.
Importance:
1. Clarity: Provides a clear understanding of the company’s hierarchy and reporting lines.
2. Communication: Facilitates effective communication by showing who to contact for various
issues or concerns.
3. Integration: Helps new employees understand how their role fits within the larger organization.
4. Resource Allocation: Assists in identifying key personnel and resources available within the
organization.
5. Career Pathing: Allows employees to see potential career paths and opportunities for
advancement within the company.
3. Employee Handbooks
Employee handbooks are comprehensive guides that outline company policies, culture, benefits,
and employee expectations.
Importance:
1. Orientation: Provides new hires with essential information about the company’s operations and
culture.
2. Policy Understanding: Ensures employees understand company policies, including leave
policies, code of conduct, and disciplinary procedures.
3. Benefits Information: Details employee benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plans, and
wellness programs.
4. Employee Rights: Informs employees of their rights and responsibilities within the organization.
5. Conflict Resolution: Offers guidelines for resolving workplace issues and disputes.
4. Training Materials
Training materials include manuals, guides, videos, and online courses that help new employees
learn their job roles and responsibilities.
5. Onboarding Software
Onboarding software automates and streamlines the orientation process, providing a centralized
platform for managing all onboarding activities.

PLACEMENT
Placement involves assigning new employees to their specific roles and workspaces, ensuring
they have the resources and support needed to perform their jobs.
Objectives:
 Ensure new hires are placed in positions that match their skills and qualifications.
 Provide the necessary tools and resources for their roles.
 Align their goals with the organization’s objectives.
Areas of Employee Orientation in an Organization

STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Training implies the act of increasing the knowledge and skills required for efficient
performance. The major purpose of development is to improve managerial behaviour and
performance.
Staff development refers to the process of changing employee behaviour, altitudes and opinions
through some type of guided experience.
Objectives of training
 Increase knowledge and skills of worker in doing specific jobs
 To impart new skills and techniques among the workers
 To bring about change in attitude of the worker towards fellow workers, supervisors and the
organization
 To make workers handle materials, machines and equipments efficiently thus check on wastage
of time and materials.
 To reduce the number of accidents by providing safety training to workers
 To prepare workers for higher challenges .
To make workers adapt to changes in the environment quickly.
TYPES OF TRAINING
1. Internal training (on the job training)
2. External training (off the job training)
Internal training programmes
They include:-
1. Orientation/induction training
Is a type of training meant to adopt workers to specific job requirements? Most organizations
have a formal orientation program for new employees who join the organization. Usually the
new employees could be put under old or senior employees.
Reasons for induction training
1. It helps to build up new employees’ confidence in the organization and himself so as to become
an efficient
2. Helps to develop a feeling of belongingness and loyalty to the organization
3. Help to forge god relationship between newcomers and the old employees
4. Helps to give newcomers necessary information in the organization
5. Help to have a good impression of the organization

2. Apprenticeship
Apprentice is one of the oldest training methods. The worker is placed under a qualified senior
who he/she understudies. The worker learns by observing and assisting his senior. It is common
for trade jobs.

3. Delegation
Is a process where by the superior assigning certain responsibilities and authority to his/her
subordinates. The subordinate learns through performance of the job or duties delegated.
4. Refresher training/retraining
This helps worker to learn new ways of handling things while still line their jobs. It also assists
workers to refresh the knowledge and skill learned long time age. eg seminars, workshops etc

5. Job Rotation
In job rotation employees perform more tasks on a given schedule. The objective of job rotation
is to make workers conversant with different parts of their jobs. The worker may be assigned
duties in different departments on work observe different departmental head.

6. Membership to committees
Committees enable members to interact together, pool their experiences and ideas with an aim of
solving problem. The committee members as a result to develop some problem solving skills

7. Creation of “Assistant to” positions

A trainee is posted to a department as an assistant. He/she acquire actual managerial experience.
8. Vestibule Training
It is similar to apprenticeship. The only difference is that the line managers on the job floor itself
do not provide it. It is instead provided by special instructors outside/away from the job floor.

External training programmes

They include: –
1. Training institutions
Specialized institutions offer training specific field e.g. colleges, universities,
polytechnics

2. Lectures, Conferences and seminars

These may be used to impart knowledge and develop analytical skills

3. Case study
Workers evaluate and analyze a real life situation suggesting alternative solution to prevailing
problems. Such analysis is used in solving problems at hand.

4. Brainstorming sessions
This consists of evaluating of ideas put forward by a group of people convened for that particular
purpose.
It encourage creative thinking among participants.
Members look forward brainstorming session as they enable them to talk freely. Their
deliberations are oriented to problem solving.

5. Role Play
It’s a training method under which participants assume certain role and enact them in a
classroom situation. The others act as observers and critics.
It enables participants to broaden their experience by trying various approaches to a problem
situation.

BENEFITS OF TRAINING TO THE EMPLOYER.

1. Less supervision – Adequately trained employees will need less supervision as they are self
reliant in work
2. Economical operations.- well trained employees will use the organizational resources prudently
as there will be less wastage of materials and low rates of accidents.
3. High moral – training help to improve job satisfaction and morale of workers. Their attitude
toward the organization will also change
4. Uniformity – training enhances uniformity of procedures as the best method of performance can
be standardized and taught to all employees.
5. High productivity – when skills of the employees are increased the performance of the employee
is enhanced in term of quality and
6. Manpower development – training enables the organization to have a study supply of competent
people to fulfill the organization’s human resource
7. Less learning period – training helps to reduce the learning time to reach acceptable level of
performance
 BENEFITS OF TRAINING TO THE INDIVIDUAL
 Training creates a feeling of confidence in the mind of the
 Training enable an individual acquire new skill which are an asset for the individual
 Trainings provides opportunities for quick promotion and self development
 Trained individuals are likely to earn more
 Trained individuals handle machines safely and are less prone to accidents
 Training and develops adaptability among
WAYS/METHODS OF EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT
1. Training Programs
 Example: A software company offers a six-month coding boot camp to new hires to enhance
their programming skills.
2. Mentoring and Coaching
 Example: A marketing firm pairs junior employees with senior mentors who provide career
guidance and professional advice.
3. Job Rotation and Cross-Training
 Example: A bank rotates employees through different departments like customer service, loans,
and investments to broaden their knowledge and skills.
4. Career Development Plans
 Example: An employee in a retail company creates an Individual Development Plan (IDP) with
their manager, outlining steps to move from a sales associate to a store manager.
5. Educational Assistance Programs
 Example: A healthcare organization offers tuition reimbursement for nurses pursuing advanced
degrees in nursing.
6. Performance Management
 Example: A tech firm conducts quarterly performance reviews where employees receive
structured feedback and set development goals

WAGES AND SALARY ADMINISTRATION/ COMPENSATION

Compensation or wage and salary administration involves the direction of programmes designed
to implement payment of monetary and non-monetary rewards. The primary financial reward is
paid in the form of wages and salaries.

Compensation may take different forms:

 These are compensations paid to workers for task performed over a short duration.
 This is labour compensation paid out once a month
Compensation involves supplementary payments referred to as fringe benefits, e.g. insurance
schemes, car loans e.t.c.

Policies with regard to wages and salary administration should be a vital component of the
personnel policy of the organization since it will enable the organization to attract capable and
competent individuals and also retain them in the organization.
A good personnel compensation policy should cover the following elements
 Level of adequacy of payment
  Equity in wage payment
 Recognition of efficiency
 Incentive payment
Objectives of employee compensation
Employee compensation programmes are designed to achieve the following objectives
i. Attract capable employees to the organization
ii. To motivate them towards superior performance
iii. To retain their services over an extended period of time
Factors determining labour compensation
 Cost of living
 Wages parity/market rates
 Employer paying capacity
 Degree of unionization
 Performance efficiency of the employee
 Government regulation
 Availability of worker for the particular job

METHODS OF LABOUR COMPENSATION

1. Time Rate
This refers to fixed compensation for a particular period of time e.g. week, a day or month or
even hours. This method has the advantage of:-
 Wages can be calculated easily
 Employee is assured of pay at the end of the

 It eliminates the need for measure performance

 Suitable for jobs that cannot be divided into smaller
2. Piece Rate
This refers to a fixed compensation per unit of output
This method motivates efficient workers and reduces the level of supervision in the organization
3. Commission Rate
This refers to compensation based on the % of sales made. It’s more common in insurance and
travel agency businesses.
4. Bonus Rates
This refers to labour compensation whereby one work on time rate but any extra production or
overtime worked, a higher rate is paid.

Types of compensation
There are three broad categories of compensation:
 Base compensation
 Variable compensation
 Supplementary compensation.

a. BASE COMPENSATION
This is compensation in the form of basic wages and salaries.

Factors influencing basic wages/salaries in organization

1. Demand and supply of labour in the labour market
In determination of wages and salaries the law of demand and supply must be considered. The
higher the supply of labour in relation to demand the lower the salaries paid to employees. But
when there is scarcity of labour i.e. less supply of labour market in relation to demand, wages
and salaries will go up.

2. Labour union pressures.

The more powerful a union is or the stronger is its bargaining power as measured by its
membership and leadership strength the greater the possibility of higher wages and salaries e.g.
KNUT.

3. Job requirements
i.e. the nature of jobs in terms of job descriptions and specification
Various jobs in organizations are graded according to their relative strengths, condition of work
etc. The difficult the job is or the higher is the skilled labour of position in the organization the
higher is the wages paid.

4. Organizations size and ability to pay

The larger the organization is the higher the changes of good profits earned by it hence high
wages and salaries. Therefore large organizations tend to pay high wages and salaries relatively
to smaller organization because of their ability to pay.

5. Product market competitiveness and prospects for high profits

If organizations products goods or services are highly competitive and profits are good the wage
level is likely to rise. Organizations which are market leaders in their respective industries
therefore tend to make high profits and pay better than their competitors.

6. Psychological, ethical and social factors.

These factors exert a considerable influence on the company’s wage level. If the employees are
dissatisfied with the wages or salaries paid to them a sizeable pressure for wage/salary increases
will develop frequently which may at times not be justified on purely economic grounds.

Psychologically the level of salary is a measure of security and status of life. Wage differentials
serves to depict social hierarchies and individual perceive themselves in relation to others in
terms of how much each of them earns.

Ethically individuals feel that wages and salaries should be commensurate with the efforts and
skills they contribute to the achievement of organization goals

7. Government influence on wage determination;

Like pressure from trade unions governments have pressure upon organization wage and salary
practices. Acting in public interest the government may pass a legislation issue executive orders
or establish a commission with a view to regulate compensation procedures for the purpose of
attaining social and economic objectives such as elimination of exceptionally low wages.

8. Cost of living/consumer price index

 This is often regulated as an automatic minimum pay requirements due to high cost of living
resulting from rising prices/inflationary situations various organizations may consider the need to
revise their wages and salaries.

9. Increases in productivity
Productivity measures contributions to output by all resource factors e.g. men, materials,
machinery and management. The higher the productivity the higher the wages and salaries paid
by the organizations e.t.c

b. VARIABLE COMPENSATION
It involves payments to individuals or groups
Individual compensation schemes
Includes:
1. Compensation based on merit e.g. payment by results systems PBR.
2. Incentive wages paid to production workers i.e. compensation based on piece rate other than time
rate.
3. Incentive plans for managers e.g. cash bonus or free share ownership
4. Incentives for individual creativity and innovation. This may stimulate creative thinking in the
organization.

Group compensation schemes;

Includes;
1. Group piece rate
This refers to compensation of all workers where efforts of a single individual cannot be
separated from the group e.g. in a motor vehicle assembly operation.

2. Employee profit sharing scheme:

Under this method cash bonus or contributions to a trust fund may be made by the employer to
employees e.g. contribution to benevolent fund.

3. Employee share ownership:

In this type of compensation plan, the employer may allow employees to participate in share
ownership at reduced rates e.g. 30% lower than the market rate.

c. SUPPLEMENTARY COMPENSATION
It is also known as fringe benefits i.e. a reward given to employees in addition to their basic
wages or salarfies.fri9nge benefits is usually provided at the employer’s own expense. The
employer provides goods or services, which the employee would have to pay by him/her.

Types of fringe benefits provided by various organizations

i. Pension schemes to be given on retirement.
ii. Medical scheme e.g. group medical cover or medical allowance
iii. Housing scheme e.g. house rental allowance or house purchase allowance
iv. Insurance scheme e.g. life insurance covers to employees
v. Car loans or the use of the company’s car
vi. Subsidized meals at the place of work
 vii. Company’s goods at discount rates
viii. Company’s transport services to employees or transport allowance
ix. Entertainment allowance given to senior managers
x. Traveling allowance on making official company’s trips
xi. Leave allowances provided to employees when going for leaves
xii. Sabbatical leaves: this refers to leave of absence pay. E.g. for maximum of 2 years or as may be
decided by the organization.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS
Meaning: employee performance refers to contributions, which employees make towards
achievement of organizations goals. Performance appraisals measure how well employees have
carried out their responsibilities.

It is therefore the process of evaluating employee performance against standard objective /job
requirements. There are 2 main categories of performance appraisal
1. Informal appraisal
2. Formal appraisal

Informal appraisal;
Is the continuous assessment of individual performance by the manager supervisor in the course
of his duties? It is the product of the day to day relationship between a manager and his
subordinate.
Formal appraisal;
Is a more rational and orderly assessment of individual performance. The appraisal is carried out
in amore systematic and planned manner using a well designed appraisal forms and appraisal
interviews.
Objectives of performance appraisal
1. To evaluate the subordinates performance against set objectives in order to understand their
weaknesses and strength
2. To formulate job improvement plans.
3. To identify potential performance and possibility of promotion or transfers
4. To identify training and development needs required to improve job performance
5. To provide a rational basis for reviewing salary and rewarding employees in relation to their
contributions towards achievement of organization goals to implement payment by result system.
6. To provide feedback to employees on their performance
7. To identify programmes and possible opportunities related to the job.
8. To provide feedback to the management on job performance
9. To provide information for succession planning
10. To enable coaching and counseling of employees etc.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PROCESS

A systematic performance appraisal involves the following steps;
1. Completion of appraisal forms
2. Conducting appraisal interviews
3. Action agreement e.g. training and development to improve job performance, job enrichment or
enlargement plan (job improvement plans).
 Performance appraisal methods
1. Ranking- requires the rater ranking subordinates in order of merit usually on their ability on the
job i.e. from the best to very poor performance.
2. Grading methods- where employees are allocated into a predetermined series of merits,
categories (usually 5) on the basis of total performance. This method works reasonably well for a
homogeneous. There’s however a strong tendency for extremes to be avoided. Very few
subordinates are rated as poor or exceptional.
Raters normally divide subordinates into five categories in the following proportions ensuring
that the assessment of merit is distributed normally;

Poor Below Average Above Exceptional

average average
10% 20% 40% 20% 10%

3. Open ended method- this method lays emphasis on the way the job is performed and expects
the manager or supervisor t write a few remarks about the subordinates other than put ticks in
columns. In this method the rater does not only assess the personal characteristics of the
employee but assesses generally the way the job is done.

Factors affecting performance appraisal

1. Soft spot syndrome
This is the tendency on the part of the supervisor to over value certain employees.
This is frequently the product of soft spot .the manager has for certain particular employees.
Everything an employee does is considered as perfect as a result of personal relationship with
such employees.

2. Halo effect /stereo typing

This refers to forming an opinion favorable or unfavorable or judging the total work of an
individual on the basis of a single clue or inadequate number of clues
E.g. an over weight employee may be considered lazy, attractive employees are better workers;
older employees are behind time and cannot cope etc.
Other stereo typed assumptions involve judgment based on sex, race, ethnic background,
religious background.etc.

3. Central tendency
This is the most common rating error. It occurs when an appraiser clusters all ratings around
some central measurement usually on average or mid point scale.
The objective is to please everyone in the department. It denies good performers the benefits of
deserve merits e.g. promotions and poor performers may also be denied the opportunity to
improve.

4. Recency/latest behaviour
This involves basing appraisal on the latest behavior demonstrated by an employee e.g. an
employee may perform poorly during much of the year but as appraisal time approaches he will
burst into boundless work activities.
 Once the appraisal is over the employee will lapse into inactivity. It is unfair to give poor rating
to employees who have performed well during much of the year but whose outputs may have
declined towards ends of the year.

5. Leniency/generosity
This involves being too lenient to the extent that nearly every employee gets high rating. The
leniency may be as a result of lack of experience on need to cover up through generous rating.

6. Over strictness
Some managers may set very high performance standards beyond the reach of employers.

7. Inter individual standards

Rating based on inter individual standards should be avoided. Because MR X is such a model
employee, the rater may develop a habit of using him the standard measure by which to guide
others. Employees need to be evaluated objectively and independently against their own
performance standards
8. Lack of clearly defined performance standards
9. Lack of training to the raters on the use of evaluation tools etc.

SEPARATION
Separation is the process of terminating employment relationships. The following are the
methods of employee separation
1. Retirement
2. Discharge /dismissals
3. Layoffs/redundancy/retrenchment
4. Voluntary quits/resignations
5. Death of an employee.

RETIREMENT
This can be defined as the exit of an employee from an organizations positions or career path
after middle age and with an intention of reducing psychological commitment.

Types of retirement
There are two types of retirement
1) Mandatory/fixed retirement
2) Voluntary retirement.

Fixed/mandatory retirement
This is a compulsory retirement initiated by the employer by setting the maximum employment
age of the employees e.g. 60 years.

Voluntary retirement
This type of retirements may be initiated by the employee who voluntarily opts to retire before
the attainment of mandatory retirement age.

An employer may also induce the employee to retire voluntarily by payment of early
 retirement/retrenchment benefits.
Benefits of retirement programs
A. to the organization
1. Successful retirees are walking ambassadors of goodwill for the organization.
2. Productivity of prospective retirees prior to retirement is enhanced because of the lessening of
anxiety about the future.
B. to the society
1. A daily supply of free. Programs that inform prospective retirees of places where they can
continue to serve in voluntary organizations enhances society’s wealth.
2. Programs that enable greater self reliance and self sufficiency in financial planning can do much
to reduce the burden of the society of taking care of old age citizens.

DISCHARGE/DISMISSALS
This takes place when an employer terminates an employee employment contract with or without
notice. Termination of employment should give a one month notice as per the Employment Act
Cap 266.The employer may alternatively discharge an employee without notice by paying one
month salary in lie of notice.
Causes of dismissal/summary dismissal.
1. Persistence and unsatisfactory performance
2. In subordination i.e. being disrespectful to your boss
3. Gross misconduct
4. Theft or colluding to defraud or steal a company’s property
5. Drunkard ness or being intoxicated by other drugs- at the place of work
6. Deserting work without employers’ knowledge
7. Being convicted in a court of law
8. Gross negligence of duty leading to heavy loss or destruction of the company’s property
9. Non observance of health and safety rules leading to loss of life or major break down of the
company’s machinery
10. Participating in illegal strikes or any other form of industrial action.

LAYOFFS/REDUDANCY/RETRECHMENT
Layoffs
Employees may be laid off permanently or temporarily under the following circumstances.
i. Temporary close down e.g. due to major repairs on machinery poor economic condition such as
recession pending economic recovery.
ii. Shortage of essential raw materials or other important inputs e.g. energy resources.
iii. Introduction of a new technology requiring the employment of few people.

Redundancy
Employees may be declared redundant and laid off if their positions are no longer needed by the
organization as a result of ceasing on intending to cease Operating the business. This may be due
to major restructuring which may see the closure divisions/departments in a bid to reduce
operational costs.

Redundancy may be further due to other factors mentioned in the lay offs
Under redundancy employees are paid terminal dues in accordance with statutory requirements.
 Retrenchment
This is a human way of carrying out redundancy. it does not always result after ceasing business
operations but can result due to the need to improve business.
Under retrenchment employees are paid enhanced retirement packages and pension/provided
they have minimum years of qualifying service.
Retrenchment is also known as down sizing.

Causes of retrenchment in modern organizations

i. Poor economic conditions leading to business down turn
ii. Poor management leading to poor business performance
iii. Increased competition and falling profits therefore the need to review products and work
methods in order to improve competitiveness
iv. Business mergers, takeovers or divestments.
v. Introduction of capital intensive technology e.g. robots, computers

Measures To Avoid Retrenchment.

i. Planning staffing requirements through effective human resource planning. This helps to identify
the optimum staffing requirement.
ii. Recruitment freeze for a given period of time.
iii. Eliminating casual/temporary employment.
iv. Retraining and deployment and development to other branches/sections of the company
v. Seeking applications for voluntary redundancy.
vi. Doing away with overtimes
vii. Filling vacancies from among existing employees (internal recruitment policy)

STAFF WELFARE & BENEFITS

This refers to any service or amenities provided to the employee. This includes:
 Transport services to and from work
 Staff housing plan
 Staff canteen/ rest
 Incentive tours
 Staff get-together/
 Credit plan t.c.
Staff welfare services serves to ensure that employees are as comfortable as possible at the work
place.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
It is essentially about reaching compromises in the face of conflicting interests, whereas
participation, is about reaching optimum decisions on matters of common interest.
Collective bargaining is carried out by employers and trade unions.
Collective bargaining can be used to be a private process of negotiation between union and
management aimed at settling disputes before they turn into conflict and industrial lobour unrest.
Negotiations here are supposed to submit disputes to mediation or arbitration.
Mediation is an attempt to settle disputes through a neutral third party. The mediator may be a
professional acceptable by both the union and the management.
Arbitration is the process by which a grievance or dispute is dissolved by an important third
 party.
Arbitration takes two types:
 Conciliators – where both the management and the union agree to call for 3rd
 Compulsory – where the law provides for a 3rd party to bargaining.

Types of collective bargaining relationship

One of the important factors that determine the relationship between the union and management
is the attitude of management towards unions.
 Conflict
 Power bargaining
 Armed truce
 Cooperation
 Collusion
 Accommodation

Conflict
Under this, strategic management takes totally uncompromising views attitude, the
management adopts the old western movie phase the only good union is “a dead one”.
Armed truce
The management representative take the position thus the vital interest of the company and the
union is poles away and will always be so.
However the management realizes that the union is not likely to disappear and so will not force a
head on collision.
Power bargaining
The management realizes also the power of the union, the management tasks is to impose its
power and then use their power where possible to offset the power of the union.
Accommodation
Accommodation involves learning to adjust to each other and attempting to minimize conflicts to
conciliate.
This strategy i no way suggests that management goes out of its way to help organize labour.
Cooperation
It involves full acceptance of the union and an active partner in a formal plan is a relatively rare
occurrence in cooperation, management supports not only the right but the desirability of union
participation in decision making.
Collusion
This is a form of mutual service monopoly and is unconcerned with interest except under the
collusion strategies where the union and management engage in industrial price fixing designed
to inflate wages at the expanse of the general public.
The process of collective bargaining
The process of collective bargaining contains a number of stages however, over time each union
and management develop slight modification that are necessary for effective bargaining to occur.
Preparation
Both labour and management representative spend extensive time preparing negotiation to
follow. Data on wages, working conditions, management and union rights, benefits, productivity
 and absenteeism is gathered and analysed. Each party outline its priorities and tactics to use to
get what they want.
Initial demands
These are expectations of either party presented during negotiation.
Continuing negotiations
Each party attempts to determine what this other party (side) values highly and to reach the best
bargaining possible.

Bargaining impasses
Labour and management do not reach an agreement always on all issues. In such case dead lock
cases may result on strikes by the union or lock out by management.
Settlement and contract
After initial agreement on the issue being negotiated the two parties usually return to their
constituencies to determine if what they have generally agreed on is acceptable.
The crucial stage thereafter, negotiation is ratification or getting a vote of acceptance. After
ratification of the agreement then the agreement is formalized with a contract.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
This describes the formal relationship between employers and trade unions or other groupings of
employees together with the institutional arrangement which arise from these relationships.
Industrial relations attempts to bridge the gap between management goals/employers goals and
the goals of the employees.

Objectives of industrial relations

 To safeguard interests of labour and management by securing understanding
 To avoid industrial conflicts and develop harmonious relationships
 To raise productivity
 To establish and nurse growth of industrial democracy
 To eliminate possible strikes
 To establish government control over such plants which operate at losses

Significance of Industrial Relations

 Smooth industrial relations help secure economic progress
 It helps establish and maintain true democracy
 Results in collective bargaining
 It helps the government in framing laws
 Results in less number of disputes in the organization
 Promote orderliness
PARTIES INVOLVED IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
In industrial relations three parties are involved,. The workers represented by trade unions, the
employers represented by employee associations or management and the government as the
arbitrator.
The agreement reached by the three parties is usually referred to as a triplet agreement.
Employers Associations
They represent the interests of the employers e.g. Association of Kenya Manufacturers,
 Federation of Kenya Employers (KFE)
Function Employers Associations
 Represent employers in collective bargaining
 Develop machinery for avoiding industrial disputes
 They provide information and advice on employee’s
 Represents employers on national issues.
Trade Unions
This refers to an association of workers whose major aim is to protect and promote the interests
of members, through collective bargaining with the management/employers and sometimes in
presence of the government.
Functions of trade unions
 They demand for higher wages for their members
 They demand for better working conditions for members
 Protect members against unfair dismissal and victimization
 They educate the workers on their rights
 They serve the interaction function with other trade unions in the field which improves their
bargaining power
 Serves the political function i.e. can be used as stepping stone to ones political ambitions.
Types of Trade Unions
 Company unions – comprises employees of only one organization
 Craft unions – covers workers with a particular skill irrespective of the organization.
 Professional unions – caters for people in the same profession g.
doctors./teacher, lawyers etc
 General union – cater for workers from various fields occupations and organizations e.g. O.T.U.

Factors that have slowed down union growth

 Political dominance and influence
 Existence of about surplus
 Lack of sufficient funds to run union offices incase of strike
 Multiplicity of trade reduces their bargaining
 Legal restriction which makes it difficult to organize strikes
 Hostile attitude of the employers whereby they don’t want to hear anything about trade unions
 Lack of good organization due to poor leadership
 Poor policies inherited from colonial government
 Lack of awareness on the part of the

ACHIEVEMENTS OF TRADE UNION

 They have fought for revision of minimum wages and better working
 They have successfully challenged management power to dismiss employees
 They have provided to their members security and protection from
 Have been able to train their workers on labour

Union Membership
1. Closed shop – it arrangement whereby organization only employ workers afflicted to unions.
2. Union shop – is whereby a compromise is made between the unions and employer in the
employer can hire can hire anyone whether union member or not provided he/she joins the union
at a particular time
3. Preferential union shop- here an agreement is made between the worker union and employer first
to hire union members before considering other job applicant. Incase of layoff, members are laid
of
Advantages of trade unions
1. They help to negotiate with the management instead of the whole labour force on behalf of the
2. The play a vital role in determining wages of the
3. They help employees to have job satisfaction.
4. They help to maintain uniform wages throughout the
5. They have a professional approach in handling disputes between workers and management.
6. They are of help to management because they help in avoiding unnecessary disruption of
workers and settle

Disadvantages of trade unions.

1. Some unions have been too powerful for the members thus they are specialized to huge salaries
which their employers may not be able to
2. The union uses workers in order to achieve some selfish goals and this results in some optimal
3. The unions have known to cause workers to support their opinions and therefore call for strikes
not for the workers grieves but because of the policy of the
4. The union tend to encourage inefficiency especially when they negotiate for higher wages and
other benefits in comparison to the input of the

CENTRAL ORGANISATION OF TRADE UNIONS (COTU)

It was established in 1966 as a result of the ministerial committee set up to communicate/
investigate the activities of trade unions. It was also as a result of the strike in the year 1963 by
the Kenya distributing workers union.
COTU is headed by a secretary general.

OBJECTIVES OF COTU
1. To improve economic and social conditions of all the workers in all parts of Kenya and to render
to the assistant whether or not such members are employed or all ceased to be
2. Assist in the complete organization of workers in all Trade unions movements in Kenya.
3. Organize the structure and spheres of influence among nations of trade unions officiated with
4. Assist in settling disputes between members of the trade unions and the employers or between
the trade unions and their or between two or more trade

FUNCTIONS OF INDUSTRIAL COURTS

 Promotion of harmonious industrial relations in the

 To ensure compliance with labour laws, international labour standards and codes of practice as
well as review of labour standards and domestication of international conventions and
 Promotion of best practices of occupational safety and health in all
 To plan, development and promotion of effective utilization of human
 Judicial determination of trade disputes and judicial and registration of collective bargaining
agreements (CBAs)
 Facilitation of the development of micro and small
 Provision of labour market
 To ensure availability of skilled manpower for the
 Promotion of productivity improvement.-Provision of social security through National Social
Security Fund (NSSF)

PERSONNEL RECORDS

The personnel department keeps records which are necessary to help the top management in the
formulation of appropriate personnel policies and procedures.
The records need to be:
 Accurate
 Relevant
 Comprehensive
 Simple
 Accessible
The data collected by the department helps in finding solutions for personnel problems such as
absenteeism, labour turn over etc.
Information provided include: –

 Personal data
 Position and experience
 Salary scale
 Medical background
 Record of absenteeism
 disciplinary letters
 Promotion letters
 Labour turnover
 Industrial accidents
 industrial disputes
 Wages
Usually individuals have individual files in which information that relates to a particular person
is kept.

USES OF PERSONNEL RECORDS

 It helps in promotion and transfer of employees
 Its necessary for salary and other computation of other benefits
 Indicates when individuals leave is due
 Help in formulating inventive plans and other strategies to correct personnel problems
 Serves as evidence and references in court of law
 Serves as reference when handling staff disputes especially in collective bargaining
 It is a legal requirement that organization keep

LABOUR TURNOVER
 This refers to the number of employees that leave the organization within a specified period. It’s
expressed as a percentage
For example. No of leaver x 100
No of employees
CAUSES OF LABOUR TURNOVER
Causes can be internal or external
Internal causes of labour turnover. e.g.
 Low wages
 Unsuitable work or working conditions
 Inability to perform
 Breach of discipline External causes of labour turnover. g.
 Lack of transport
 Retirement age
 Natural attrition
 Health reasons

EVALUATION
1. Explain the benefits of recruiting the right people in an organization
2. Outline the principles of job
 Describe the selection
1. Explain the Reasons why organizations conduct induction training
2. Outline reasons why trade unions in developing countries have not been